Voyage

I never expected ABBA to make another album in my lifetime. Heck, I couldn't believe that of the four members, Agnetha would be the one to release another solo album (2013's "A"). So, imagine my surprise to read about the release of "Voyage," in 2021. I was excited. Those who have read up on the group know that ABBA never officially disbanded in 1982/83. Their last album, "The Visitors," didn't fare well when it was released in 1981. Frida & Agnetha pursued solo careers, while Benny & Bjorn went to work on the musical "Chess" and other projects. They never officially said ABBA was over. The liner notes for "The Visitors" deluxe edition says the energy was running out and Frida is quoted as saying, "We haven't packed it in as a group - we've only taken a long break." No one expected that "break" to last 40 years, but they came back, and I must say, it's a worthy comeback. The classic ABBA sound is here, updated for the 21st Century, but it is unmistakably ABBA. Frida & Agnetha still sing lead vocals with Benny & Bjorn providing back - up vocals, instrumentations, as well as being producers on the album. Here is a track-by-track breakdown.Frida sings lead on the majority of tracks, beginning with "I Still Have Faith In You," while Agnetha sings lead on only two, and the entire group sings together on two tracks. The title track speaks to the fact that ABBA is still alive and well and can still churn out great songs. Frida sings: "There was a union, of heart and mind, the likes of which are rare and oh so hard to find." She constantly asks, "Do I have it in me?" to which the group answers, "We do have it in us, new spirit has arrived, the joy and the sorrow, we have a story, and it survived." Yes, indeed it has."When You Danced With Me" is a fun tune that has that classic ABBA sound and is just all-around fun. Frida sings lead vocals here."Little Things," also sung by Frida, is a Christmas song that features the Children's Choir of Stockholm International School."Don't Shut Me Down" is classic and is one of the singles from the album. Agnetha sings lead here and she hasn't lost her touch. I was happy to hear her hit those moderately high notes, something she never did on her album "A," (which I still love by the way). The part I really like is the chorus when all four sing together: "And now you see another me I've been reloaded yeah, I'm fired up don't shut me down." That really screamed ABBA to me. It reminded me of songs like "Me and I" and "If It Wasn't for the Nights.""Just A Notion" is an interesting inclusion as it's an unreleased track from 1978, recorded during the "Voulez - Vous" sessions, but left off the album. They were able to go back and remaster this track, with all four members singing vocals. It works, at least for me it does. You can listen to this and even though you know it was recorded in the late '70s, it still manages to sound contemporary and doesn't sound out of place on the album. It does make one wonder though, 'Well, if they're going to do that, then why didn't they bother to re - record "Just Like That?"' With today's technology, they could have re-recorded it and it would still sound great. I personally think there's no excuse for its absence. I know Benny and Bjorn are perfectionists & they've never been satisfied with it, but still. If you're going to release a song you recorded from the '70s, why not do the same for one in the 80s? We'll probably never find out, sadly."I Can Be That Woman," is a lovely slow ballad sung by Agnetha about a relationship gone wrong and the woman's desire to repair it. "You're not the man you should've been, I let you down somehow, I'm not the woman I could've been, but I can be that woman now." Great song. It reminds me of songs like "One Man, One Woman," "Slipping Through My Fingers," and even "One of Us." I like the background vocals from the other members as well. It totally makes this song sound like a classic ABBA ballad. One of my favorites from this album."Keep an Eye On Dan" is an interesting song that speaks about child custody after a divorce. Frida sings lead vocals here and the song has a bit of a disco urgency about it, if that makes sense, that I love. This song totally sounds like an ABBA song for the 21st century. I love the drums throughout this song, and I like Frida and Agnetha's voices blending here. They sound so strong and haven't lost their touch. There's even a little easter egg at the end of the song as it ends with some of the same few notes that begin "S.O.S." Listen closely, and you'll hear it. There are actually a lot of little easter eggs in the form of snippets from their classics interspersed throughout the album. You just have to listen, and you'll pick them up."Bumblebee" is nice little song that almost sounds like a hymn. Frida sings lead vocals here. At one point, Benny and Bjorn wrote and sang lead vocals on a song titled "Free as a Bumblebee," which has never been released, but can be found online. That one was more of a pop song, while this is, as I stated, more like a hymn. I'm thinking that "Bumblebee" is the offspring of that in a way, although they are two very different songs."No Doubt About It" is a rocker that sounds a lot like early ABBA songs such as "Waterloo," "Ring Ring," and even "The King Kong Song." This is one of my favorites on the album. Frida sings lead vocals here, but I really love it when the chorus kicks in and Agnetha joins in. Just hearing the girls' voices in harmony on the chorus is incredible. They've still got it in them."Ode To Freedom" ends the album with all four ABBA members on vocals. A nice little song that, like "Bumblebee," has a hymn-like quality to it.All in all, "Voyage" is a great final album for ABBA. I'm sure this is the last studio album we will ever hear from them. Their legacy is secure as it has been for decades, but I'm glad I got to hear a new album from them in my lifetime as I believed it wouldn't happen, but here we are 40 years later, and the Super Troupers of pop/rock are back at it again. If you love ABBA, you'll love this album.

This album brought a tear to my eyes. A beautiful gift of music from ABBA after a forty year absence.As usual they always deliver a solid collection of songs. Well written, well performed and well harmonized.Time is slipping away but to hear a new collection of songs from the Swedish masters is something to absolutely cherish.

I've been a fan of ABBA since I was a very young child, starting with the album Voulez-Vous. ABBA has always been a part of my life from that point. I purchased all of the older albums, and can remember so well the Christmas that I received their last studio album "The Visitors." I never thought I'd hear new ABBA music again in my lifetime, thinking as Frida once said when asked about the possibility of ABBA reuniting, "That ship has sailed."Here we are in 2021, and ABBA have graced us with a new album, "Voyage." And it is stunning. If you are "truly" an ABBA fan and have listened to all their other albums, you will recognize that Voyage fits in beautifully. Every track on Voyage is a nod to their past but in the most perfect way. It is disheartening to see some people make comments wishing for a more upbeat album and ranking this album lower because of that. Go back and listen to practically any of ABBA's other albums. They always balanced upbeat songs with slower songs, more thoughtful ballads full of hurt, regret, and reflection (Voulez Vous may by the exception to this). This album takes a little piece of everything we always loved about ABBA throughout the years and presents it one package.For instance, you have the folksy/Celtic influence of Benny's past in the new song "When You Danced With Me." If you think this style of music is new to ABBA, go back and listen to the album "Arrival," specifically the ending instrumental track "Arrival" and the song "Dum Dum Diddle." Check out the song "The Piper" from the Visitors for more similar influences. Then you have the upbeat, more modern ABBA sound that all the fans of ABBA Gold tend to think of in the new Voyage track "Don't Shut Me Down." This is an homage to their "Voulez Vous" days. One of my personal favorites on the album, "Keep An Eye On Dan," is about the trauma of divorce when a child is involved, and it has a smoldering underlying electronic groove and brings to mind older songs such as "The Day Before You Came," and parts of it also remind me a little bit of "Eagle." You have the pastoral ballad "Bumblebee" which is in a similar style to their songs "Like An Angel Passing Through My Room" and "Slipping Through My Fingers." Another outstanding track, "I Can Be That Woman," centers on a difficult relationship and is delivered with such emotion by Agnetha, in a similar style as "The Winner Takes It All," or "Disillusion," but without the danceable undertones of "The Winner Takes It All." And of course, the epic ballad "I Still Have Faith In You" which has become an instance ABBA classic. And then you have two more upbeat songs, "Just A Notion" and "No Doubt About It" which take you back to the earliest days of ABBA. The closing track is a sweeping orchestral number called "Ode To Freedom," which is a gorgeous and lushly layered track that could almost serve as a country's national anthem.For those saying they wish it was a more "upbeat" album, listen to some of their older albums. There was always a balance between upbeat, mid-tempo, and slower songs. You can't judge this album by ABBA Gold. Voyage is another timeless masterpiece by ABBA, an unexpected gift in a time where the world has seen more than it's share of despair and uncertainty and it is certain to become a classic just like all their other albums.

Looking at this Album, you have to be reminded of Artists like Johnny Cash or Frank Sinatra in their late senior years left a parting gift. They definitely expended their reach although two of the songs were unfinished and from the late 1970's. Took them a while to do this and of course the interruptions from the sickness that has afflicted the world. I am so surprised. Agnetha Falstkog has for all these years has frowned on the efforts for an Abba reunion as I have read and heard her speak. 1983 they just walked away with "The day before you came" being the last song recorded and recorded by her in a darkened sound room a year later I think and Benny Anderson played all the instruments on that song from the album"The Visitors" It was late coming out.It is Abba singing but not Abba or the Abba sound we knew in the past and that was the intent. I was impressed by Frida voice, a little older, by still strong and vibrant. It is fitting that she would sing the lead song on the album.I like "Ode to Freedom" once I was able to hear and understand the words, sort of drowned out by the back ground instruments.It is good for the memories, but those days are gone forever. Perhaps this album signifies the end of an era. And if old wounds have been healed, then that is a good thing.